There are many subspecies of Brassica rapa [including turnip (subsp. rapa) pak choi (subsp. chinensis) and Chinese cabbage (subsp. pekinensis)] but the relationships between the subspecies has remained uncertain. Qi et al. sequenced 143 accessions, including some subspecies for the first time. They then used genomics approaches to develop a phylogeny. They corroborate their molecular findings with written records (the domestication of B. rapa has occurred within the timespan of written history), making this an intriguing article for students interested in the history of agriculture as well as population genomics. Molec. Ecol. 10.1111/mec.14131